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8 Ways to Make Personal Care Easier With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis affects more than two million Americans, and for many of them, this condition can make even the most seemingly simple and basic self-care tasks — including brushing hair, clipping fingernails, getting dressed — exhausting and difficult. “During acute flare-ups, joints of the hands, wrists, elbows, and shoulders can become hot, inflamed, and painful,” says occupational therapist Debbie Amini, EdD, OTR/L, director of the occupational therapy assistant program at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, N.C. “During these times, care should be taken to protect these joints from mechanical stress.” At other times, fatigue and weakness could make hygiene tasks difficult. Here are ways to simplify these tasks.

Better Bathing

Safety and comfort are both concerns when it comes to bathing. Manage this personal-care essential by installing grab bars and a shower seat in your bathtub or shower stall. A handheld shower nozzle and liquid soap in pump bottles can make getting clean easier. “Long-handled back brushes or sponges can be used to reach the back and feet,” Amini says. You can also try making or buying a washcloth mitt that accommodates your entire hand for scrubbing.

Shampooing

Shorter hairstyles are the key for hair care hygiene if you have rheumatoid arthritis, Amini says. When washing your hair, use hair-wash brushes with flat handles to take the stress off smaller finger joints. “Undue stress on delicate joints is not only painful but can lead to deformities that create further difficulties with self-care,” Amini says. Also, use shampoo-conditioner blends to cut down on one personal care step.

Brushing Your Hair

Your best bet for making hair brushing easier is to get a new brush. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, consider brushes with wide handles (or thicken your old brush handles by wrapping them with cloth) or handle-less brushes like the “Hair Bean,” which reduce stress on the fingers and wrists. Wide-toothed combs can make this personal care task easier by cutting down on your hair’s resistance, especially if it is thick and curly.

Brushing Your Teeth

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you may also have a higher risk for oral health problems like gum disease. Experts believe this may be due to inflammation, coupled with the fact that people with rheumatoid arthritis have a harder time caring for their teeth. However, says Amini, using easy-to-manage personal care appliances such as an electric toothbrush and a cordless flosser should give you the advantage over the potentially negative impact that rheumatoid arthritis can have on your oral hygiene.

Shaving

For many people, shaving is a personal care necessity, not merely a vanity procedure. “Electric razors are larger and can be held easier by men and women,” Amini says. “Otherwise, plastic tubing can be placed on a straight razor handle to increase circumference and decrease force on finger joints.” Depending on the hair in question, you might consider longer-lasting hygiene solutions such as waxing, depilatory, or laser treatment.

Clipping Nails

You might need a professional to help with this personal care chore, either at a podiatrist’s office or by treating yourself to a manicure and pedicure. This is particularly true if your nails are very thick or your joints are severely deformed from arthritis. If you or a your loved one wants to try clipping fingernails or toenails at home, Amini says that large-handle or mounted nail clippers can be purchased through medical supply companies such as Sammons Preston.

Toileting

Using the toilet may be easier and more comfortable for hips and knees affected by rheumatoid arthritis if you attach a raised seat to your toilet bowl, either directly to the porcelain or onto the existing seat, depending on the design you choose. “Moist towelettes can be used for hygiene if needed,” says Amini. There are flushable ones available now. If you are having problems with certain motions or when reaching certain areas that need personal care, consider using a splint, which can help reduce pain and steady your hand. An occupational therapist can help you get the right fit to support your joints.

Getting Dressed

Personal care steps include dressing yourself, and this, too, becomes more difficult as rheumatoid arthritis advances. A number of different adaptive devices can help with dressing, Amini says. From zipper pulls to clothing and shoes with Velcro closures, entire catalogs and Web sites are dedicated to these products. Even if your budget doesn’t allow you to purchase all of them, reviewing the options could give you ideas for ways to modify what you already own.

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